Refrigerated shipping containers



De.27,19s5 F. QBL 2,728,200

REFRIGERATED SHIPPING CONTAINERS Filed May l, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet lIazvenoaf.- MM

F. LOBL REFRIGERATED SHIPPING CONTAINERS Dec. 27, 1955A 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed May l, 1955 Dec,-27, 1955 F. I oBL REFRIGERATED SHIPPINGCONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May l, 1953 REFRIGERATED SHIPPINGCONTAINERS Frederick Lobl, Middlebom, Mass.

Application May 1, 1953, Serial No. 352,424

Claims. (Cl. 62-83) This invention relates to improvements in shippingcontainers, and more particularly to relatively light-weightrefrigerated containers which have general utility in the transport ofperishable items but which are especially well adapted and advantageousfor air transport of perishable commodities and products from anyparticular location of packaging to a distant location which mayinvolve` travel from coast to coast across the country, or over-seastravel from continent to continent.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a refrigeratedshipping container having a generally rectangular inner chamber forholding commodities and products which are to be shipped, and havingouter walls spaced from the chamber walls and providing air circulationspace all around the side walls of the chamber and under the bottom wallof the chamber, the said chamber having a rectangular shiftablepartition dividing its interior and formed of relatively inexpensiveshape-retaining material adapted to contain a substantial quantity ofice, the said ice being enclosed in a sealed moisture-proof envelopewithin the shiftable shape-retaining partition. According to theinvention, the inner chamber walls, the

States Patent G spaced outer walls, and the said shape-retainingshiftable partition are preferably formed of corrugated paper boardstock, or the like, whereby the commodities and products within thechamber are electively protected and refrigerated without danger ofleakage of water which may result from melting of the ice within theshape-retaining partition.

Another object is to provide a refrigerated shipping container whereinan inner rectangular chamber is effectively insulated by substantialbodies of air contined in surrounding relation to the side walls andbottom wall of the chamber, and wherein a relatively rigid hollowpartition is shiftable on edge within the said chamber and is adapted toreceive therein a moisture-proof envelope containing a substantialquantity of ice, whereby the partition.

may be variously arranged Vwithin the said chamber -in refrigeratingrelation to commodities and products er1- closed within said chamber.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an insulatedrefrigerated shipping container wherein a chamber for holdingcommodities and products to be shipped is substantially blanketed byinsulating bodies of air around the sides and below the bottom of thechamber,

and wherein an inexpensive throw-away shape-retaining hollow partitionis shiftable within said chamber andl adapted to protectively enclosetherein a moisture-proof envelope wherein water may be sealed and frozeninto a solid mass of ice which conforms generally to the interior' shapeof the said shape-retaining throw-away shiftable partition within whichit is frozen.

A further object of the invention is to provide a re frigerated shippingcontainer or carton having outer walls and spaced inner walls, with amoisture-proof insertible lining for the bottom and four side walls ofthe outer container, said inner walls defining a generally rectangularchamber having a refrigerating lpartition shiftable therein, the saidpartition being a rectangular shape-retaining hollow member within whichwater in a moistureproof envelope may befrozen into a solid block of icewhich assumes the generally rectangular shape of the interior of thesaid partition, the said envelope ensuring against leakage of waterwhich may result from melting of the ice, and the said liner ensuringagainst leakage of liquids which may come from commodities and productsenclosed within'said chamber for shipment.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve thestructure and effectiveness of refrigerated shipping containers, andmore especially shipping containers wherein the refrigerant is frozenwater sealed within a shape-retaining generally rectangular partitionwhich is shiftable within the space or chamber in which the commoditiesand products being shipped are enclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a closed shipping container embodyingfeatures of my invention, with wall portions broken away;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. l, on a largerscale;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the outer container;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank of moisture-proof sheet material fromwhich the moisture-proof liner for the outer container may be formed;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the moisture-proof liner formed byfolding the blank of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the inner-wall-forming unit with two ofits top flaps inter-locked and depressed to closing position across thetop of the unit;

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of one variety of bottom member which may bearranged within the unit of Fig. 6, on a scale smaller than the scale ofFigs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the partitioning container which isshiftable on edge within the unit of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blank of moisture-proof sheet material fromwhich the envelope for holding water and ice may be formed;

Fig. l0 is an isometric view of the envelope formed from the blank ofFig. 9 and adapted to be partially lled with `water and inserted Withinthe shaperetaining partitioning container of Fig. 8 preliminarily tofreezing of the water into a rectangular cake of solid ice, or theenvelope may contain cracked ice, or ice cubes; and

Fig. ll is a cross-sectional view showing a modified structure whereinthe inner unit of Fig. 6 is provided with albottom wall and rests on asuitable support for it above the bottom wall of the outer container.

Referring to the drawings, the outer container, indicated generally at10, may be a rectangular container or carton made of corrugatedpaper-board'stock, with conventional flaps 14, 16, 1S, 2t) for closingits top. A strip of paper tape 22 is shown in Fig. 1 securing the closedflaps 14, 16. The bottom of the outer container may be similarly closedby flaps, with the outer flaps secured by a strip of paper tape, thesame as shown for the top of the outer container in Fig. l but, forconvenience, the bottom wall is shown in Fig. 2 as having continuousintegral eX- tent across the bottom'from side wall to side wall.

3 According to thevinvention, this outer container lil is provided witha moisture proof liner, indicated generally at 24, which convenientlymay be formed by folding an integral sheet 24 of moisture-proof paper,or the like (Fig. 4), into the rectangular liner 24 of Fig. 5, whichlits nicely within the. outer container to line the bottom spacing -jwall and all four side walls thereof. The blank of Fig. 4

each corner.l One cornettlap'ilU is laid against eachl side wallformedby thefolding of the blank at the foldlines 26, r28, 30, 32, vthereby toproduce the rectangular liner of Fig. 5 whose flaps 40 require nofastenings inasmuch as they become maintained in their laid-overpositions by the walls of the outer container 10 when the liner isinserted within the outer container. The top edges of the liner mayterminate at or `slightly below the top edges of the side walls of theouter container, as shown in Fig. 2. it should be understood, however,that the liner for 4the outer container 10 may be variously formed solong as it providesa moisture-proof structure fitting nicely withinouter container 10.

After the liner 2d has been inserted within outer container l0, theinner-Wall-forming unit 42 of Fig. 6 may be inserted within liner 24, asshown in Fig. 2. This unit 42 may be .made of corrugated paper boardstock, or of any other suitable material, and isin the form of arectangle having four side walls .and having its inner end open and itsouter end adapted to be closed by interlocking end flaps. The inner openend of the unit has out-folded liangeextensions44.l of the side Wallsprojecting at all four sides, for spacing the lower ends of the Walls ofthe unit d2 a predetermined distance inward from the walls of outercontainer 10 with the flange-extensions 44 resting on the lined bottomof the outer container 10.

When the open end inner unit i2 of Fig. 6 is employed, a false bottompreferably will be provided at its open inner end, such as the falsebottom member 46, shown on a small scale in Fig. 7. Member 46 may befolded, as in Fig. 7, from a single piece of corrugated paper boardstock, or of any other suitable material, to provide a false bottommember having substantial air spaces at 48 between its upper and lowerhorizontal walls.

It is a feature of the invention that ice in solid block form, orcracked ice, or ice cubes may serve as the refrigerant for items whichmay be packed within the inner-wall-forrning unit 42. The ice isenclosed and preferably sealed within amoisture-proof envelope 50 ofmoisture-proof paper, or other suitable moisture-proof sheet material,which may be formed from the blank 50' of Fig. 9, folded along thecentral fold line at 52, with the sheet stock of the two sectionssecured together along the opposite side margins delined by the foldlines S4, 56. The margins may be secured by any suitable moistureproofadhesive, after which the envelope may be folded along the fold lines54, 56 to provide the side aps 58 as best seen in Fig. l wherein theenvelope is shown on a small scale with the thicknesses of the sheetmaterial considerably exaggerated. Envelope 50 is inserted within arectangular partitioning receptacle 60 which must be constructed toretain its rectangular shape in the event that water in envelope l) isfrozen into a solid mass of ice within receptacle 60, and must retainits shape if and when ice therein melts. Hence, receptacle 60 isrequired to be of rugged shape-maintaining construction and yet it isdesirable that it should be inexpensive so that it may be disposed ofafter a single use. I have found that cor rugated paper board stockprovides a partitioning receptacle 60 which is both inexpensive andadequately shapemaintaining under the various conditions to which it maybe subjected. it may be assumed that the receptacle 60, as representedon a small scale in Fig. 8, is formed from a sheet of corrugated paperstock with opposite margins of the sheet lapped and securedVtogetherralong one of the narrow sides or edges of the receptacle. Oneend of the receptacle 60 is open and the other end may be closed in anysuitable manner, as by the end flaps 61.

Envelope 50 is substantially longer than receptacle 60 and when theenvelope is inserted in receptacle 60 it -projects substantially out ofthe open end of the receptacle as shown by ldotted lines in Fig. 8, vtheside iiaps 58 of the envelope engagingatwise against the narrow sides oredges of receptacle 60.' Y

Cracked ice or ice cubes may be put into the 1'envelope S0 to serve asthe refrigerantpwihinpartitling.Iptadle 60. Preferably, however, waterwill be poured into the envelope 50 to .a .level somewhat'below the openend of the receptacle, following which the receptacle 60 with thewater-containing envelope 50 therein, will be subjected to freezingtemperatures until the Water has been converted into a solid block ofice. ln any case, the projecting open end portion of the envelope willbe tightly closed, and preferably sealed, as bycement or thermal bondingof the open edge margins of the envelope, followed by folding of theprojecting excess of envelope into the open end of receptacle 60, as at62 in Fig. 2.

When water is frozen into a solid block of ice within receptacle 6i),the block will conform generally to the interior rectangular contour ofthe receptacle 6l), and the receptacle 60, with the solid ice therein,constitutes a solid rectangular partition which may be arranged on edgeacross the chamber Within inner unit 42, and may be shifted therein asmay be desired, and the partition retains its rectangular relativelyrigid form notwithstanding that the ice therein' may melt. Similarly, ifenvelope 50 contains cracked ice or ice cubes, the partition receptacle60 maintains its rectangular shape both before and after the ice melts,more or less, within envelope 50. In every case, of course, any waterresulting from melting of the ice is safely held within themoisture-proof envelope 50.

In a commercial procedure for refrigerated packaging of items orcommodities for shipment in my improved shipping containers, a number ofthe water-containing envelopes 59, each encased in a receptacle 60, maybe simultaneously subjected to freezing temperatures in a suitablerefrigerator, or refrigerating plant, to cause freezing -of the water inthe encased envelopes 50 into solid blocks of ice with each block of ice64 (Fig. 2) conforming generally to the rectangular-shape of theinterior of receptacle 60. The folded closure of the top end of theenvelope permits needed elongation of the envelope for accommodation ofexpansion of contents during the conversion of the water into solid ice.

Each receptacle 60, with icev therein, is designed to serve as ashiftable refrigerating partition within the innerwall-forming unit 42,as shown in Fig. 2 wherein the spaces 66, 68, on opposite sides of thepartition, are available for holding the items or commodities which areto be shipped. The partition, when in place, serves also to rcenforceand strengthen the shipping container as a whole.

The refrigerated partition 60 has nice fit between oppo-` site sidewalls of the inner unit 42, and rests edgewise on the bottom wall ordoor ofthe chamber within which commodities and products to be shippedare to be arranged. It may be slid to selected positions within thechamber with the generally flat engagements between the partition andvthe adjacent bottom and side walls tending to maintain the partition inparticular selected positions generally similar to the disclosure in myPatent No; 2,496,296, dated Feb ruary 7,1950, wherein a comparableadjustable refrigerating partition is disclosed and claimed. lt will beobvious that the refrigerating partition 60 may be shifted into contactand parallelism with either'of two opposite walls of inner unit 42, toprovide a single large space for reception of the-items or commoditieswhich are to be shipped. Also, if desired, the refrgerating partition 60may be laid flat upon the bottom of the refrigerated chamber, in whichcase the items or commodities to be shipped would be packed in `thespaceprovided above the then horizontally disposed refrigeratingpartition 60. Following arrangement of the refrigerating partition 60 ina desired position within unit 42, and after placing the items orcommodities to be shipped in cooling relation to the refrigeratingpartition, the top closure aps of the inner unit 42 are next closed andinterlocked, with simultaneous formation of spacing lianges at the outerend of the inner unit 42.

Referring more particularly totFig. v6, the outer or top end ofv` innerunit -42 has-theclosure a'ps 70, 72, 74 and,

76 'thereonandeach.ofthesaidllapshas a fold line 78 a predetermineddistance outward from its integral connection to the adjacent wall ofinner unit 42. The flap 70 is slitted at 80 and 82, and the two aps70,72 interengage edgewise and become interlocked as shown in Fig. 6.The central portion of the edge margin 70 is shown engaged over theportion 90 of ap 72 between the latters slits 84, 86; and the endportions of the edge margin of llap 70 are shown engaged under theportions 94 of ap 72 outward of the latters slits S4, 86. The flaps 70,72 are over-long so that, when they are depressed in the describedinter-locking engagement, each ap folds on its fold line 78 to providean outwardly projecting portion 96 which engages the adjacent lined wallof the outer container 16 to maintain a predetermined spaced relation ofthe upper ends of the inner and outer walls as in Fig. 2.

The flaps 74, 76 of unit 42 inter-lock in the same manner as aps 70, 72when the flaps 74, 76 are turned inward and interengaged, and then arepressed downward upon the flaps 70, 72 with resulting outward projectionof portions 96 into spacing engagement with top portions of adjacentwalls of outer container 10, the same as described in connection withflaps 7 0, 72.

ln Fig. 2, because of the exaggerated thickness of the corrugated stock,only the inter-locked flaps 70, 72 of unit 42 are shown. Actually, theinter-locked flaps 74, 76 intervene between the llaps 70, 72 and theflaps 18, 20 of the outer container 10, which latter flaps are laid overupon inter-locked flaps 74, 76 of unit 42, followed by laying over theflaps 14, 16 of the outer container upon the flaps 18, 20, and securingaps 14, 16- along their adjacent edges by the strip of paper tape 22, orby any other suitable securing means.

Fig. ll illustrates a modication in which the innerwall-forming unit 42may be in all respects similar' to the unit 42 of Fig. 6 excepting thatthe lower end of the unit is closed by a bottom Wall 43 and the flanges44 of the Fig. 6 unit are omitted. The inner unit 42' of Fig. ll mayrest on any suitable support within the outer container 10, theparticular supporting means represented being crossing notched strips98, 100 of suitably rigid material interengaged egg-crate fashion in anopen-work support for the inner unit 42', the upper edges of the stripsbeing notched to provide shoulders at.102 for centering the inner unit42' within the outer container 10. Obviously the inner unit 42' may beotherwise supported t above the bottom of outer container 10, ifdesired.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description, in connection withthe drawings, that I have provided a relatively inexpensive andrelatively light-weight refrigerated shipping container which isentirely reliable for long distance transport of perishable contentswithout need for replenishing the refrigerant during transit and withoutdanger of leakage of any liquids which may be within the container, suchas liquid which may be discharged from lobsters, for example, and whichmay result from melting of the cake or block of ice 64. It is assumedthat the shipping container will be maintained right-side-up duringhandling and transit, and the container may be plainly marked to thiseffect. The ice is safely enclosed within the moisture-proof envelope 50and any water derived from melting of the ice is safely maintained inenvelope G which, in turn, is within the partitioning receptacle 60having the character that it maintains its rectangular relatively rigidshape regardless of whether ice or water is within envelope 50. However,when a solid block of ice is formed within envelope 50, the ice meltsslowly under ordinary shipping conditions and has been found to providehighly effective refrigeration for perishable contents of the container,such as lobsters, shipped by air from the East to the West coast, andshipped over other comparable long distances. The substantialair-circulation spaces around and under the inner unit 42 wherein theperishable contents are packed or otherwise arranged provide anextremely effective insulated and more or less isolated cold chamberwithin unit 42 such that relatively slow heat-transfer to the iceoccurs, and

.6 the ice melts at such a slow rate that perishables are effectivelyrefrigerated over relatively long periods.

The fact that the outer container 10 is effectively protected againstleakage by the moisture-proof liner 24 makes my shipping containerhighly satisfactory for shipping liquid emitting perishables such aslobsters, and this protective liner is protected by the walls of theinner unit 42 or 42 against puncture by pointed elements of thelobsters, or other contents.

The shipping container may, of course, be made in various sizes and,when desired, more than a single refrigerating partition 60 may bedisposed within the unit 42 or 42.

Enveloped and encased blocks of ice 64 may be produced within anyavailable refrigerating apparatus but, as earlier pointed out herein, acommercial procedure preferably will include provision formultiple-production of the ice cakes or blocks so that an ample supplyof the refrigerating partition members 60 will be available for transferto the shipping containers as needed. When desired, the envelopes 50 maycontain cracked ice or ice cubes, as when no suitable freezing means isavailable for producing the ice blocks.

While I have disclosed herein what I presently consider to be apreferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood thatvarious changes may be made in the structure and the materials employedwithin the scope of the appended claims, and it is intended that thepatent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims,whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the inventiondisclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A generally rectangular refrigerated container, comprising a bottomwall, four upstanding outer side walls, and four upstanding inner sidewalls in spaced general parallelism with said outer side walls, anintegral sheet of flexible moisture-proof material folded to provide amoisture-proof generally rectangular lining for said bottom wall andsaid outer side walls, means at inner and outer edge portions of saidinner side walls for maintaining a predetermined spacing of said innerwalls from said outer side walls, a partition member extending betweenopposite ones of said inner side walls and shiftable to differentpositions between said inner side walls, said partition membercomprising a relatively rigid rectangular hollow receptacle havingopposite generally parallel flat surface portions slidably engagingflatwise against said opposite ones-of said inner side walls, anenvelope of moisture-proof flexible sheet material within saidrelatively rigid receptacle, a substantial quantity of ice enclosedwithin said envelope, closure flaps on said inner side walls for closingthe top of the container across the inner space dened by said inner sidewalls, and closure llaps on said outer side walls foldable inward uponthe first mentioned closure flaps for closing the entire top of theshipping container, said relatively rigid receptacle retaining itsrectangular shape notwithstanding any melting of the ice within saidmoisture-proof envelope.

2. A generally rectangular refrigerated shipping container, comprising abottom wall, four upstanding outer side walls, and four upstanding innerside walls in spaced general parallelism with said outer side walls, anintegral sheet of flexible moisture-proof material folded to provide amoisture-proof generally rectangular lining for said bottom wall andsaid outer side walls, means at inner and outer edge portions of saidinner side Walls for maintaining a predetermined spacing of said innerside walls from said outer side walls, a partition member extendingbetween opposite ones of said inner side walls and shiftable todifferent positions between said inner side walls, said partition membercomprising a relatively rigid rectangular hollow receptacle havingopposite generally parallel at surface portions slidably engaging atwiseagainst said opposite ones of said inner side walls, an envelope ofmoisture-proof flexible sheet material within said rela 7 tively rigidreceptacle, said envelope having water therein frozen into a solid blockof ice having substantially the shape of the hollow in said relativelyrigid rectangular receptacle, inter-locking closure aps on said innerside walls for closing the top of the container across the inner spacedefined by said inner side walls, and closure aps on said outer sidewalls foldable inward upon said interlocking iiaps for closing theentire top of the shipping container, said relatively rigid receptacleretaining its rectangular shape during said conversion of the water insaid envelope to said solid block of ice and subsequently during anymelting of the ice within said moisture-proof envelope.

3. A generally rectangular refrigerated shipping con tainer, comprisingan outer container having a bottom Wall and four upstanding side walls,an integral sheet of flexible moisture-proof material folded to providea moisturefproof generally rectangular lining for said bottom and sidewalls of the outer container, a generally rectangular inner unitarranged within said outer container and having four side walls inspaced general parallelism with the side walls of the outer container,means providing a bottom wall for said inner unit in spaced generalparallelism with the bottom wall of said outer container, a partitionmember, including a relatively rigid rectangular hollow receptacleextending within said inner unit from one side wall to an opposite sidewall thereof, a moisture-proof envelope within said hollow receptacle,

refrigerating supply of ice within said envelope, closure flaps on theinner unit side walls for closing the top of the inner unit, one of saidaps being formed for interlocking `coaction with another of said apswhereby portions of said flaps are projected laterally into wall-spacingengagement with upper portions of adjacent side walls of said outercontainer, and means for closing the top of said outer container.

4. In a generally rectangular refrigerated shipping container havinganouter container with a closable top, the combination therewith of arefrigerating inner structure comprising a generally rectangularmoisture-proof lining element insertible within the outer container, agenerally rectangular inner unit insertible within the lined outercontainer, the leading end of said inner unit being open and havingout-turned ange portions for resting on the lined bottom Wall of theouter container and Vfor maintaining 'the walis of the inner unit iusubstantially spaced relation to the walls of the outer container, afalse bottom unit insertible within said inner unit for closing thc saidopen end thereof, said false bottom unit providing substantial aircirculation space therein, a generally rectangular partition receptaclewithin the inner unit resting on said false `bottoni and extending as apartition between opposite walls of` the inner unit, said partitionreceptacle being relatively rigid yand shape-retaining and having amoisture-proof envelope therein, and said envelope having a substantialquantity 'of ice therein, whereby said partition constitutes arefrigerating medium Within the said inner unit, ysaid inner unit havinginter-locking closure aps thereon and said aps being over-long toprovide portions which become thrust laterally outward as spacersbetween the walls of the inner unit and the walls of the outer containerin response to lthe said inter-locking of the closure tlaps. l

5. A generally rectangular refrigerated shipping container, comprisingan outer container having a bottom wall and four upstanding side wallsformed of corrugated paper boardstock, an integral sheet of viiexiblemoistureproof material folded to provide a moisture-proof generallyrectangular lining vfor said bottom and side walls of the outercontainer, and means providing a refrigerating chamber within the saidouter container, said means comprising an inner unit having four sidewalls formed of corrugated paper board stock and arranged in spacedgeneral parallelism with ythe side walls of the outer container, meansproviding a bottom wall for said inner unit in spaced generalparallelism with the bottom Wall of said outer container, a partitionreceptacle of corrugated paper board stock within lthe said inner unitwith one edge portionresting on said bottom wall of the inner unit andwith two other oppositeedge portions engaging atwise against oppositeside walls of said inner unit, said partition receptacle having amoisture-proof envelope therein, and said envelope having ice enclosedtherein, closure aps on the walls of 'said inner unit, said aps beingYover-long and opposite ones of said aps being adapted to inter-lockedgewise when closed to effect laterally outward projection of portionsof the aps into wall-spacing contact with side walls of the outercontainer, and closure flaps on the outer container walls for closingthe top of the outer container.

References Cited lin the Viile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS333,123 Goldsmith Dec. 29, 1885 458,153 Caldwell Aug. 25, 1891 1,640,452Knowlton Aug. 30, 1927 i 1,691,736 y Oppenheim Nov. 13, 1928y 2,239,128Sykes Apr. 22, 1941 2,477,787 Cook, Jr Aug. 2, 1949 2,515,582 BeckwithJuly 18, 1950 2,528,715 Wagner Nov. 7, 1950 2,571,144 Lobl Oct. 16, 1951

